Monday, January 12, 2009

Wreckognize

I continue to find it difficult to identify with certain BMX bikes these days. Take this Tierra for example:

No, seriously, take it.

Super-steep, super-low, super-short rear end. It's probably the twitchiest, loopy-outiest bike ever (non-Killorado division). I remain somewhat convinced that Fly's entire research library consists of a GT catalog from the late '80s that has the Ricochet Trials in it:

I mean, they even copied the bashguard! Perhaps the layback is next. Or the tall forks/low bars combo. Although that could make footjam whips exceedingly hazardous.

Then again, the trials connection isn't that outlandish a suggestion. Fly is from Spain, and so is Montesa (or Monty), one of the companies that's been doing trials bike for the longest. So maybe Flys will eventually evolve to look something like this:

You'll note the fat tires, the colored (and drilled-out) rims and the plastic pedals. Also the complete lack of seat (the next logical step). Throw a topload and a set of Slams on there, and you're good to go. Well, maybe bump up the gearing a bit unless you like pedalling really, really, really fast. And just think of the things you could do with disc brakes!

I don't like where this is heading. Not one bit.

••••••••••••••

Is trials cooler than fixed-gear freestyling? Only you can decide.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO CONTAINS A LOT OF VIGNETTING. AND HANS REY.

I've always liked trials riding, and I always will. I've also realized that bmx bikes are slowly becoming more like trials bikes, which I don't really like. I knew it was only a matter of time before you made a post like this, Russ.

And whoever said Fixie Freestyle is cooler than trials can fucking bite me. Dear lord, how can you even compare shit like balancing on one wheel ontop of a handrail and dropping 15 feet to flat to doing a whirly bird in an alleyway on Telegraph Hill?

Maybe it's because it's pink, or because fly is about to put it out, but I can't help but think that someone consider (researched) this a viable option - for the most part, Fly's been a least willing to push conventional wisdom here and there and come out smelling okay. Conversely, I'm still not surprised that Eastern, or some other poor excuse for a bike company didn't get to it sooner.

When 75 degree headtubes became the big thing, toptube lengths, strangely became longer - though not uniformly (21.1, 21.25, 21.10001101010...) But, in the end, it came down to "feelings." 21.1, with a 75 degree headtube angle will FEEL like something 21 inches, with a 74.5 angle. (or at least that's what I was told about a 100000000 times...)

I'm interested to know what a 21.345 toptubed/75 degree headtube angled/13.00000000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! chainstayed frame "feels" like, because I need something to help me with what it "looks" like.

I don't know, this is strange: With BMX so style/image sensitive these days, why send something to market that looks this retarded...?

Jason - one day I'm going to figure out why you hate Eastern so much, really I am.

As far as trials go. In the 70s I was a huge fan of MC trials and I do like the trials influenced street riding style that a bunch of freeride mountain bikers practice. Still, I always thought that trials bikes didn't work well as, well, bicycles. That was always kind of the thing, when I was kid my BMX bike was my number 1 form of transportation. These days I can count on one hand the number of bikes that work as bikes, not tailwhip machines.

The Tierra has a 13.25" back end? I would imagine that length is pretty unstable in the air if you are jumping anything other than curbs or maybe small spines. I can't imagine how much that bike would pitch in the air over a big box jump. 13.25" is shorter than the back end on my flatland bike!

"I don't know, this is strange: With BMX so style/image sensitive these days, why send something to market that looks this retarded...?"

When was BMX not style/ image sensitive and full of retarded products? I've never been able to figure out when it wasn't. BMX Action's first issue came out in 1975 and was full of advertisements selling you something, pictures of BMX "heros" and Kawasaki was pushing a full suspension BMX bike. I guess 1974 and earlier were those days that style and image meant nothing.

trials is just a mountainbike thats sucks more. is it mountainbike freestyle? i think scotty cranmer whould show those cats how it works. fuf-frontie? fixed gear freestyle is also gay. but it lead to flatland, which is slightly less uncool.

bikes have jobs, just like cars, but not one bike can do all the jobs. and some cars are just for style. some utility.

as for the tierra completes.... is that just to showcase of the parts they make? because i recall fly saying they wouldn't makes completes because quality was too low, so how is this a better option?

Bob Haro doing endos and rockwalks between motos at the BMX track led to flatland, not some French circus family doing wheelies on a track bike. Parallel evolution, and technically art cycling came first, but we're still better.

At this point, why not just take it past this awkward looking frame design and go all out full on modified-bmx like a mod-trials frame? It wants to go there anyway. It's like a fat kid staring at a cookie, you know he wants it.

This post just reaffirms my decision to make my next frame an S&M Dirt Bike. Something long, stable and fast. But then again, it could be the old man in me saying that he just wants to feel younger by tearting around the neighborhood on a BMX bike. So then I guess the question to ask is, "Who's more delusional, me or the twitchy tailwhippers?" I dunno either.

Wow, I always thought trials riding was the grossest looking shit ever, but then again so are abubaca's to front flips.. Cramner.

I can definitely see where things are going. I remember 10 years ago meeting trials dudes and looking at their bikes thinking "where the hells your seat at" and wholy chicago bars brah!?" I find myself thinking the same thing about bmx now, except bar width.

I will give it to trials riders though, as gross looking as it is, its pretty amazing. But one must consider, could the same be done on a pogo stick?

I have to say, I can't get my head around trials biking. What's the draw here? Why hop on the ground 50 times before bunnyhopping onto the ledge? (Then hop 50 times once you're up there before hopping off?) I had to stop when dude started going up the stairs...one hop at a time. Looked about as difficult/fun as walking up them...really slowly. I have seen some footy of guys doing bad ass stuff on bigger trials bikes, like abubucas from one rail to the next across big gaps and down big/risky drops. Give me a high speed Stricker gap any day...but I guess it's all what you're into. However, doing pedal grinds on a unicycle will always be shameful.

I think this is the year when the seatpost makes it's return. Slammed will be replaced with the one fist rule.

haha, I HAD one of those gt ricochets. i should have kept the superlace wheels before i sold it. oh well.

anyway, i've been waiting for someone to make the new school bmx/observed trails... observation. fat tires, drilled rims, a vestigial seat, high and wide front end. same shit, except they have a much bigger rear cog.

MISSION STATEMENT

In a world where every new BMX "innovation" is met at best with praise and at worst with a shrug, there needs to be a voice of dissent. SPRFLS is that voice. Make no mistake—we welcome progress, provided it actually IS progress. You are not the width of your handlebars.

Feel free to e-mail suggestions, corrections, tips or death threats to sprfls@gmail.com

Even more pointless (and sometimes entirely un-BMX-related) twittering at http://twitter.com/SPRFLS and http://twitter.com/russbengtson